The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is calling for Expressions of Interest from NSW recreational fishing representatives and other individuals from relevant interest groups, who are keen to become a member of the new Recreational Fishing Trusts Advisory Council.
DPIRD Acting Deputy Secretary Fisheries and Forestry, Tara Black said the establishment of the new advisory council will deliver on the Government's election commitment to improve oversight on how NSW recreational fishing licence fees are spent.
"The council will provide advice directly to the Minister for Agriculture, to increase the confidence of recreational fishers in the way trust funds are spent, by improving decision-making efficiency and transparency," Ms Black said.
"An assessment panel will appoint a Chairperson plus up to 13 members, with expertise in saltwater or freshwater recreational fishing or both, to review the many different types of funding applications that are received each year.
"The department is also seeking members with experience in finance and project management, probity and governance, infrastructure and construction projects, and fisheries science, in addition to having knowledge and experience in recreational fishing."
Council members will be required to attend up to four meetings per year and will be renumerated for their involvement.
All money raised from recreational fishing license fees is placed into the Recreational Fishing Trusts and spent on improving recreational fishing experiences and opportunities in NSW.
Since 2001, the Recreational Fishing Trusts have supported funding for more than 3,400 large and small projects.
In 2024-25, more than 415,000 NSW recreational fishing licences were sold, and the NSW Government is committed to ensuring we distribute the funds to projects transparently and deliver the greatest benefit to NSW fishers now and into the future.
During that period, the NSW Government reinvested $18.3 million, collected through the recreational fishing fees, into a wide range of projects, including fishing access and facilities, stocking millions of fish into waterways, fish aggregating devices, education and much more.
Ms Black said the new council, established formally under the Fisheries Management Act 1994, will supersede the existing Recreational Fishing Saltwater and Freshwater Trust Expenditure Committees which currently advise the Minister on trust fund expenditure.
"The new Recreational Fishing Trusts Advisory Council will engage a diverse range of experts in the decision-making process to ensure that recreational fishers can have confidence in the way we spend funds from the trusts.
"The existing Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council will continue to provide advice to the Minister on key recreational fishing issues in NSW and will work with the new council to ensure funding is allocated to projects that benefit recreational fishers."
